Fished Sunday early for the topwater bite. I experimented with something I’ve been wanting to try for a while. I changed one of my plugs to single hooks. Its a lot less damaging to the fish if you are going to release it, and supposedly the hookup ratio is as good - or nearly as good. Spent a while in Haddrell’s pondering what hooks to try. I went with a circle hook on back. So, I went 1 for 3 on some small trout on it, … so far the jury is still out. Would be interested to hear from others who have tried it. The one I did catch was in very good shape when released, instead of having all kinds of holes poked in him from the trebs.
This is the one I caught on it - a little micro-trout
Caught 1 more little one and I could hear Bob Sanders voice in my head “No big trout will tolerate these little ones around”, so I left.
Second stop I immediately saw lots of fish chasing small shrimp, so I tried the fly rod and caught the 2 biggest trout of the trip, around 16-17"
This is something that I’ve almost never heard people talk about: A fly rod is a unique tool for your inshore toolbox. By that I mean that to match the hatch when the bait is really small, the perfect tool for the job is a fly rod. You can’t throw a 2" fly with a spinning rod, period. These two nice trout I caught nearly yanked the rod out of my hand on the take. When they are keyed in on a tiny shrimp or glass minnow, they will simply ignore your DOA or jerk shad. A fly rod is the way to
Bill Roumillat and graduate student Myra Brouwer took a shot at it, page 12 on the first google result for “Roumillat trout fecundity”:
Age 1 fish spawned every 4.7 days or 26 times during the spawning season from 1 May to 31 August. Age 2 fish had a spawning frequency of once every 4.2 days, or approximately 29 times during the season. Finally, age 3 trout spawned approximately every 4 days, for about 31 spawns for the season. Overall, spotted seatrout ages 1-3 in South Carolina spawned every 4.4 days or roughly 28 times during the reproductive season. Roumillat and Brouwer, 2001- FTP’d on DNR server.
you’re the man for trying that and making it work! i’ve wondered about it too, last i checked yo-zuri was the only company that had a topwater plug that came factory with circles.
looks like you used an in-line… and why 2 split rings? more rattle, extra hook swing? i wonder with their crazy jumping strikes if a slight offset would help, since they’re almost certainly not going to get it deep anyway… what about going with a left offset on back and right offset on front? something’s gotta hang up, right?
As always, you didn’t disappoint! So, I’m floored; I always was told that trout spawn on the full moon of every month. Every 4 days…huh… Thats very interesting.
Yes I used a non-offset circle. Why? IDK because thats the kind of circle I usually use when using circles. I have read that they work as intended when non-offset. The reason for the 2nd split ring is to orient the hook right. They would be sideways if you didn’t use the 2nd split ring. Seems obvious but its not till you try it.
The trout won’t be as likely to throw the lure with single hooks, I would imagine. That along might make it an upgrade even if you don’t get a better hookup ratio.
Consider putting a mylar or maribou bucktal on the end of it and using a slightly longer hook. You may get more “short strikes” on the hook.
“Sire, it belongs in truth to the Church of God, in whose name I speak, to endure blows and not to inflict them. But it will also please your Majesty to remember that she is an anvil that has worn out many hammers.”…Theodore Beza
I think you should try a 2/0 J hook, and maybe a long shank 2/0-3/0 j hook. Odds are you’ve got a pack somewhere. Not sure if a circle hook is the best… but now i might put try that on my bass plugs to see the difference.
The trout won’t be as likely to throw the lure with single hooks, I would imagine. That along might make it an upgrade even if you don’t get a better hookup ratio.
Consider putting a mylar or maribou bucktal on the end of it and using a slightly longer hook. You may get more “short strikes” on the hook.
“Sire, it belongs in truth to the Church of God, in whose name I speak, to endure blows and not to inflict them. But it will also please your Majesty to remember that she is an anvil that has worn out many hammers.”…Theodore Beza
I hear ya but in my experience most fish are hooked on the front hook of a plug. I think they go for the head mostly when striking
www.thefreedictionary.com/fecundity
fe?cun?di?ty (f -k n d -t ). n. 1. The quality or power of producing abundantly; fruitfulness or fertility. 2. Productive or creative power: fecundity of the mind.
That’s a hell of a vocabulary you’ve got there.
Op, I like your circle hook plug. Let us know when you perfect it, but get the patent first.
Semper Fi
18’ Sterling
115 Yamaha
Big Ugly Homemade Blue Push Pole
I have done some experimenting with small assist hooks straight to the wire hanger…the ones for jigging offshore. Some types have a Kevlar cord that is stiff enough to hold the hook away from the bait a little
Optiker, try the Gammy ringed live bait hook size 1/0 & 2/0 depending on lure size. Can’t find them locally but can order online. They have a solid ring so you don’t have to add the second split ring and are a short shank hook, front hook pointing forward back hook pointing back. I have had succes with this setup. I got the idea off texaskayakfisherman.
5151 - Thanks much! Good advice and I will try. I also got the idea from a Texas site… funny.
Stono - also good advice. I don’t know why I haven’t done that yet… I kinda fell dumb for not doing that
